Kaleidoscope of Colors
by OTHBrucas
Summary: Eric and Calleigh's struggle to realize how perfect they are for each other. Cake, then EC.
1. Chapter 1

They had established the routine five years ago. Every Friday: Eric, Calleigh, Calleigh's backyard pool and a _lot_ of laughter combined with some pretty intense swimming lessons.

For the first time in five years, Eric Delko had failed to call her and confirm that he was coming over for their weekly swim. It was 8 o'clock, which was the time the swimming session should've ended. Her phone had been silent- save for a tiny beep alerting Calleigh that the battery was low.

Calleigh consoled herself quickly: he was probably out with his girlfriend, he was exhausted, he had plans with family. But then another nagging, irritating thought entered her brain: he had had plenty of girlfriends in the past. Plenty of exhausting Friday afternoon shifts. Plenty of family plans. But he had always moved things around for those cherished 2 hours. What would make him stop now?

_Jake_. Calleigh shoved the thought out of her brain as soon as it wriggled its way in. But it was true. She and Jake were official again. Well, they had been official long before, but they weren't hiding it anymore. _Everyone_ knew.

Her fears were confirmed when she remembered that this morning, her mug of Cubano had been absent- Eric had neglected to make her morning coffee: another thing he had been doing for innumerable years. To top it off, she knew he was purposely avoiding her- he had chosen to push papers rather than work in the field with her.

The dread started to seep in slowly but surely. On one hand, she felt like breaking down and crying- why was Eric acting so cold all of a sudden? One the other, she chided herself. _Why should I care? I have Jake, that's all the matters right? _

_Right!_ Her brain insisted, but her heart was screaming wrong.

--/--

"Well hey there, pretty girl" Jake gently grabbed Calleigh's arm in the hallway of the crime lab Saturday morning as she power walked past him. "Missed you this morning. I did enjoy the note taped to my forehead, though"

Calleigh laughed, recalling the memory of the hastily written note- she hadn't figured out where he would find it first, so she had opted for scotch-taping it to his forehead. She stopped to take in his clean shaven face and inhale his cologne- Armani, her absolute favorite. "Sorry, I got an early call out"

"Too bad, I was looking forward to a morning shower with you" Jake winked at her, moving them off to the side.

"Jake! Behave!" Calleigh said, her cheeks tinting pink. "We're at work"

"I know, I know. I was actually going to hand deliver these files to you" he said, handed her a stack of manila folders.

"What a great present" Calleigh laughed. "Thank you, you didn't have to do that"

"Well, I wanted to see you" Jake reached out and touched her hair. "You look very pretty today"

"Thanks" she blushed again. "I'll see you at lunch?"

"It's a date" Jake said.

Calleigh walked into the processing room and caught sight of Eric lifting a fingerprint. She walked over to him, dreading the cold response she was surely going to get.

"Hey Eric" she smiled her sunny smile- the one Eric had dubbed her '300 watt smile'.

"Hey, Calleigh. I'm almost done with these fingerprints" he said, resolutely avoiding her gaze.

"Missed you yesterday" she said timidly.

"Yeah, well, I was busy" Eric said shortly, punching a few keys and waiting for AFIS to start up.

"Eric" Calleigh sighed, exasperation evident in her voice.

"By the way" Eric said as he watched AFIS scan fingerprints. "You and Jake should probably avoid playing Romeo and Juliet in the hallways. The lab is made of glass, you know"

"So that's what this is about" Calleigh said. Eric opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by AFIS. "Got the suspects name: Mallory Landon"

"I'll call Horatio" Calleigh said, stalking out of the lab without a goodbye.

Eric looked longingly at her retreating form. He sighed when he saw her pause to run her fingers through her blonde hair- a weakness of his- and punch in Horatio's number. Why was this so hard?

--/--

"Calleigh! I've got a present for you" Ryan said, stumbling into the lab. "It's debris from the car shooting"

"And it isn't even my birthday" Calleigh smiled at Ryan, helping him unload the box onto the table. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eric walking into the room and making his way over.

"I need to run those for fingerprints" he said gruffly.

"Okay" Calleigh said, refusing to meet his eyes. "Take what you need"

Eric opened his mouth to argue but then realized he didn't have anything to argue against. Usually, Calleigh put up a hell of a fight to process the evidence first. It was then that he realized the magnitude of the argument they were in.

"What's wrong with the two of you?" Ryan demanded as the tension in the room grew.

"Nothing" Calleigh replied. "I'm going to get back to ballistics"

"Try not to trip and accidentally fall into Jake's arms in the middle of the hallway" Eric snorted. His expression stayed the same but his heart sank when he saw tears prick Calleigh's eyes. She bit her lip to stop from responding and walked out of the lab, heading in a straight line to firearms.

"Eric? Are you insane?" Ryan elbowed him. "What are you doing?!"

"She's with JAKE now" Eric spat, the hurt evident in his eyes. "After everything he did to her, she's back with _him_"

"Eric, you nearly made her cry. And we BOTH know that Calleigh doesn't ever cry. She obviously has a very weak spot for you" Ryan reasoned with his best friend. "She never said anything about _your _multitude of girlfriends"

"That was different, Ryan. We've been dancing around each other for months now. It wasn't like that between us before"

"Still. Just don't throw caution to the wind, okay?"

"I'll try. This is really hard" Eric sighed. "I know I'm being an asshole"

"Yeah, you are" Ryan said. "Stop it before you destroy her"

"Yeah" Eric heaved a sigh. "Let's dig into this pile of nonsense. I need some good solid debris-digging to get my mind off my disastrous life"

Ryan nodded, snapping on a pair of gloves and began sorting through the pile with Eric.

--/--

"Is something the matter, Calleigh?" Jake asked over lunch. "Do you not like your quesadilla?"

"No, it's great" Calleigh forced a smile. "I'm just tired"

"Sure?" Jake pressed. "Do you feel sick?"

"No, just tired" Calleigh said, squeezing his hand affectionately. "I'm okay, Jake. Really"

"Okay" he conceded, intertwining their fingers. "How did your cases fare today?"

"Well, Eric refused to communicate with me so I was behind the entire time on what was going on. But we have a suspect in custody and hopefully he's talking"

"What is going on between you two anyway? It doesn't seem that you guys are getting along too well these days" Jake inquired.

"Well, Eric's got issue's he has to deal with" Calleigh said, resolutely avoiding the subject. "And we're all getting the backlash"

"I'm sorry. That's rough"

"It'll work itself out. Are we ready to go?"

"Sure. Feel like heading home for an afternoon nap before the next shift begins?"

"I could use a nap with my favorite boy right now" Calleigh smiled, leaning against him.

"Good. Let's go" he wrapped his arm around her and they walked to the car together, seemingly happy and at ease with themselves.

_I'm_ _happy_ Calleigh tried to convince herself as she laid bed with Jake. He had passed out five minutes after they had gotten home. His arm was slung across her stomach and she was cocooned into the shape of his body. She tried to conjure up the butterflies she got in her stomach when Jake kissed her, or the way his naughty smile melted her heart.

But she could only concentrate on one thing.

_Eric._


	2. Chapter 2

"There's not much you can do about that, _mijo_" Eric's sister said consolingly. "If she's with this Jake guy, you can't go and try to break them up. I would just be her friend for the time being"

"But Izzy, I _love_ her" Eric pleaded. "You know I've only said that about a girl once before"

"I know, Eric, and you almost married her. I know you're serious about Calleigh" Isabella said. "But don't try to interfere with her life. It'll get you nowhere"

"Then what do I do? Sit here and watch her fall for the guy that ruined her life?"

"No, be her friend like you've always been. Don't let anything change. Go over to her house like you used to. You know if you alienate her, she's going to run straight back to Jake"

"I know, I know" Eric sighed. "Thanks, Izzy"

"Be careful, baby brother. Love you" she said over the phone.

"Love you too, big sis" Eric said, hanging up the phone and raking a hand through his short hair.

"_Nice hair, mister" Calleigh teased as she traipsed into A/V. "Got it cut, I'm guessing?"_

"_Yeah…if you weren't off gallivanting in Louisiana, you would've been here to give me hair advice" Eric teased back as he shifted to make room for her. "How was the family reunion?"_

"_Horrendous. They're all crazy, I swear" _

"_They're your family. It must be endearing sometimes. I mean, my sisters are total nutcases but I love 'em"_

"_But they're cute, normal nutcases. Mine are genuine certified nutcases"_

"_Okay" Eric conceded, laughing. The pair worked together for 45 minutes, isolating sounds and noises to try to get a location on the mystery phone call. Calleigh got a page from DNA as she was getting up._

"_Eric?" she said softly. He looked up at her as she leaned down and whispered into his ear "I like it better grown out". Her low, seductive voice sent racing shivers up and down Eric's spine. _

Eric smiled wistfully at the memory: Calleigh's advances had been very welcomed, but now they had dissipated to an occasional flirty smile or maybe, if she was feeling extra naughty, a comment.

Sighing, he gathered his swimming gear. He was determined to show Calleigh how much he needed her- and how eventually she would realize how much she needed him, too.

--/--

"Calleigh, dinner smells _fantastic_"Jake said, walking into the kitchen.

"Thanks, babe" she smiled, reaching up to caress his face as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Decided to skip the morning shave?"

"What? You don't like my sexy stubble?" Jake faked a wounded expression, rubbing his unshaven face against her smooth cheek.

"No, I love your sexy stubble" Calleigh laughed, squirming from the ticklish sensation. "It's very…sexy"

"I know, I know. There's no other adjective that'll do me justice" Jake teased.

"Okay, mister. Someone's not conceited at _all_" she teased back.

"You know you don't have to cook me dinner, right? I'd hate to make you feel like it's your job or something"

"You don't, I love cooking. I may be bullet girl but I'm still a southern belle" Calleigh said, turning around and planting a quick kiss on him. "But it's nice of you to acknowledge that"

"Anything for you" Jake whispered, the sincerity evident in his tone. It sent shivers up and down Calleigh's back- not shivers of excitement, but shivers of fear. She didn't think she quite reciprocated the 'anything' feeling.

The moment was thankfully interrupted by a doorbell. Calleigh made her way over to the door, praying it was who she wanted it to be.

And it was.

"Eric!" she cried, a little too excited. The look that passed over his face said it all- a silent apology for his rash words. He pulled her into a tentative hug, mumbling an 'I'm sorry' into her ears. She nodded slowly, the fight over in an instant.

That's how it was between them. She had known he felt guilty the minute the words had left his mouth; he had known the tears that had pricked her eyes were not those of hurt but those of disappointment at his behavior.

"Eric" Jake said, surprise betraying his calm voice. "Hey"

"Hey" Eric greeted amiably, though all he really wanted to do was give the man a piece of his mind.

"Are we going swimming?" Calleigh asked, happiness adulterating her voice at the prospect.

"Of course" Eric said, following her out to the pool deck.

"I'll just be a couple of minutes" she said, hurrying into the house to get her bathing suit on. Eric watched as Jake glanced wistfully at Calleigh entering their bedroom and then turned away, walking to the den at the other end of the house.

--/--

Eric was working on his breathing and his current state of dangerous arousal. Jake had conceded to Eric taking Calleigh out for some ice cream, and his simpleton mind had not recovered from the sight of her (new?) black bikini. She had always worn practical Speedo one pieces, and he had found her undeniably attractive in even those.

But that damn, damn, _damn_ bikini and the way it clung to all the right places and revealed tantalizing bits of skin just _would not leave his mind._ And now, the stoic pulled together Calleigh Duquesne was walking a few steps ahead of him in a white skirt that danced dangerously short around her legs and a tank top that had him praying to every deity for some semblance of sanity.

"Eric? Are you alright?" she asked, her sunny southern voice cutting into his thoughts.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. What are you getting?" he asked as they approached the ice cream shop.

"Chocolate with rainbow sprinkles" she answered, a childish sparkle in her emerald eyes.

"So its true, a leopard never changes his spots"

"Especially when it comes to important matters such as ice cream flavor" Calleigh quipped. As she was reaching for a napkin, their hands brushed.

Electricity. Heat. And most of all, a connection.

A connection that should not, _could not_ be broken.


	3. Chapter 3

Calleigh munched peacefully on her fruit loops as she flipped through the paperwork of a case that had just closed. The break room was silent save for the sound of her munching her breakfast, so she naturally she was shocked when Jake kissed her neck from behind.

"Jake Berkeley!" she exclaimed, turning around. "The lab has glass windows" she admonished.

Oh, and glass windows did it have.

Eric seethed out in the hallway, having just witnessed this little public display of affection. His temper was flaring again, but his rationale and the last disaster forced him to keep his mouth shut and jealousy in check as he walked into the break room.

"Eric!" Calleigh greeted, looking up from her case files, a sunny smile gracing her face.

"Hey, Cal" he greeted, nodding at Jake as he dug out his Cubano from where he was hiding it.

"What are the plans for today?" she asked, sidling up to him to pour her own coffee, decidedly less strong.

"I actually have no clue. Cal, why do you drink these fruity cappuccinos? Have some real, manly Cubano"

"So you want me to be manly?" Calleigh asked. "I don't think Jake would dig that too much, would you?" she laughed, tossing a wink over her shoulder at Jake, who was shaking his head no.

"That's true" Eric admitted. "Well, in any case, coffee is coffee. I'll see you in DNA in 15, okay? Valera apparently thinks she hit something big"

"Okay, thanks" Cal squeezed his arm affectionately. He exited the room, humming, with a cup of strong coffee in his hands. All seemed to be right side up in Eric's world, but Jake was subdued.

"Is everything okay?" Calleigh asked him gently, pulling him down on the chair next to her.

"Yeah, I'm fine" Jake smiled at her. "Just a little jealous" he admitted.

"Of what?" Calleigh asked, but then understanding dawned on her. "Of Eric? Jake…don't be silly," she laughed. "You know we're just friends"

"Calleigh, you've never said I love you" Jake blurted out.

"Jake, I--"

"Not that I'm like, _expecting_ it of you or something, but you've just never said it" Jake said. "And I say it all the time"

"I'm sorry" Calleigh whispered. "You know how I am, Jake. I do love you, and I appreciate you, too"

Sincerity colored her voice and a huge, happy smile broke out across Jake's face. He pulled her in for a hug, but Calleigh knew the truth.

Her words were empty.

--/--

Waves of guilt rose and fell with Calleigh's every step across the tiled floor towards DNA. What had she done? Did she really love Jake? Did she really even 'love' Eric? Was she just playing two decent human beings and lying to herself?

Her head spun with these thoughts but she pushed them aside for the sake of professionalism as she walked into DNA.

"Calleigh! Finally! The amelogenin is XX"

"But there's no females in this case" Calleigh said, the new development uprooting her current theory.

"Ah, if only you spent more time on the Miami nightlife circuit" Eric ambled in. "We've got ourselves a cross dresser"

"Oh lord" Calleigh said. "She must've done a good job because I never would've guessed"

"Well you know with the makeup and technology these days, you can be anything you want to be"

"My mom used to tell me that, but somehow I don't think she was referring to cross dressing" Calleigh laughed.

"No, I don't think so" Eric laughed. "Listen, there's a lead I'm going to follow, care to join?"

"Sure" Calleigh smiled. "Let me just gather my things"

They met at the Hummer five minutes later with Eric in the driver's seat. They were silent for a few moments before Eric cleared his throat and turned to her.

"So, how's life?"

"Good" Calleigh said. "Busy. How's your sister's new baby?"

"He's fantastic, adorable. Looks a lot like me, actually" Eric boasted.

"What a lucky kid. I bet he's handsome" Calleigh laughed.

"Is that your covert way of telling me you think I'm handsome?" Eric teased.

"Maybe" Calleigh laughed. "So when can I come see them?"

"Whenever, Izzy's staying at my parent's house because she can't handle the girls and Michael at the same time"

"Yeah, she must need some help. Let me know, I'd be more than happy to watch Michael or the girls if she needs some sleep or something"

"I'll tell her, she knows her kids love you" Eric laughed. "The littlest one is always asking where princess Calleigh is"

"She still thinks I'm Cinderella doesn't she?"

"She totally does" they shared a laugh over the 2-year-old's antics as they drove down the highway. "My family really misses you, Cal. You used to be a regular around the neighborhood"

"I know, I know. I just don't think they'd be too huge fans of Jake" Calleigh said.

"Not true" Eric said. "They'd love you anyway"

"Okay" Calleigh agreed. "I will definitely stop by to see Clorinda and Pavel. They're amazing, hardly anything like my parents"

"Yeah, they're pretty great" Eric laughed. "My mother teases me all the time about how she'd love to make you her daughter in law"

"That's sweet; somehow I don't think I would live up to her standards for her baby boy" Calleigh teased.

Eric rolled his eyes at Calleigh. "Seriously? She'd collapse with happiness"

Calleigh blushed at the thought of being married to Eric. What an interesting life that would be.

--/--

True to her promise, Calleigh headed over the next day, which was incidentally a Saturday, to Clorinda and Pavel's house in the Cuban sector of town. She pulled up to their modest house with a present for baby Michael in one hand and a present for Isabella in the other.

"Calleigh! It's been forever. Come in, _mija_. Come in. We've missed you!" Clorinda greeted Calleigh enthusiastically, showering her with a barrage of kisses and hugs.

"I've missed you too" Calleigh said, hugging the older woman back affectionately. "Is Izzy sleeping? The house seems quiet"

"Izzy is sleeping but Michael's wide awake playing with his daddy and uncle" Clorinda ushered her towards the family room.

Eric was laughing quietly with his brother in law and playing with Michael's toes when Calleigh walked in. His jaw nearly dropped when he saw her: she was dressed in a white summer dress that made all his words dry up. It clung to her rather endearingly, her tan, sun-kissed skin glowing with the contrast of the white fabric.

"Hey, Eric, Matthew" she greeted. "Is this the beautiful little boy?"

"It is indeed" Matthew said proudly. "My son"

"He is _gorgeous_, Matt" Calleigh said, picking the baby up and admiring him. "He looks just like Izzy. And a lot like you, too. And Eric, his eyes are just like yours"

"I know" Eric said happily, congratulating himself on forming a coherent phrase. "He's my only nephew, I'm glad he looks something like me"

"So how does it feel? All these girls and the one solitary boy?" Calleigh asked.

"He's already his granddad's favorite" Matthew laughed. "Not that papa doesn't love the girls to pieces, but he has high hopes for this one. He's already decided that Michael is going to be a chemical engineer"

"And the boy is barely two months old" Calleigh laughed, settling him back in his father's arms. "Poor kid"

"Have an ice tea, _mija_" Clorinda settled Calleigh down and handed her a sweating glass of ice tea.

"Your grandson in beautiful, Clorinda"

"Oh thank you, darling. He's such a good baby. Quiet and hardly bothers his mother"

"That is true" Matthew admitted. "He's better than the girls were"

"Sounds like Eric" Calleigh laughed. "The quiet brooding brother with three loud crazy sisters, hmm?"

"Totally true" Eric laughed. "Poor little guy. His sisters are going to drive him nuts"

Michael began to fuss so Matthew took him over to the guest room to put him down for a nap, leaving just Calleigh, Clorinda, and Eric in the living room.

"So, _mija,_ how've things been?" Clorinda asked, puttering around the room clearing things up.

"They've been fantastic" Calleigh answered, leaning forward to return her ice tea glass to the tray. Eric had to breathe deeply to maintain his sanity as her strap was making its way slowly but surely down her smooth shoulder.

As Calleigh moved to adjust her dress, Eric's penetrating gaze caught her eye. She blushed a deep red, knowing _exactly_ what he had been staring so fixatedly at.

"I should go. I've got to stop by Home Depot and pick up some manly construction things for Jake" Calleigh laughed, standing up to give Clorinda a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for the wonderful drink. I'll stop by soon"

"Why don't you take Eric with you, _mija_?" Clorinda suggested. "Matthew will have fallen asleep with Michael, and Izzy is out like a light. Eric could use some time away from us"

"Okay" Calleigh agreed, shooting Eric a look. He shrugged and motioned towards his shoes. She rolled her eyes and nodded, letting him follow her out the door.

"Have fun, you two" Clorinda called after them. And Calleigh didn't miss the scheming look in Clorinda's big brown eyes.

--/--

"You look very pretty" Eric commented as they walked up to the entrance of Home Depot.

"Really? Thanks" Calleigh blushed for the fifth time that day, her heart fluttering at Eric's sudden compliment. The sexual tension was rising to levels she didn't think were possible. "This is just an old summer dress"

"Well it looks really nice on you" Eric said, pulling her in for a hug. "You are the most beautiful woman I know"

He didn't know where he was getting all this courage, but he knew he was telling her the truth. He desperately wanted her to know, craved for her to realize how beautiful she really was: inside _and_ out.

"That's really sweet, Eric" Calleigh said. "I don't hear that very often"

"Well you should hear it every day" Eric said. "Cause its true"

Calleigh squeezed his arm appreciatively. "Okay, we need paint and some nails and some wood boards"

"What is Jake building?" Eric asked, slightly jealous that he wasn't building things for Calleigh.

"A new shelf for my CDs and candles" Calleigh laughed. "I destroyed it"

"Oh" Eric said, motioning over an employee.

"How can I help you, Mr.--?"

"Delko" Eric said.

"And Mrs. Delko" the employee said hospitably, pointing at his tag. "I'm John"

Calleigh hadn't heard anything past 'Mrs. Delko'. The perceptible shudder that had gone through Eric's body when he had heard those words had said _everything_.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hello?" Calleigh mumbled into the phone one Saturday morning.

"Good morning" his voice came over the phone, rumbling and deep.

"Eric?" she asked, feeling decidedly more awake. "What's up?"

"Izzy needs a babysitter for Michael and I volunteered but I would really like some help. Care to join?"

"Of course!" Calleigh said enthusiastically. "What time?"

"Around 11:00…unless you and Jake had plans or something?" Eric asked.

"Nah, it's a pretty slow day anyway. Where are you going to be?"

"My place" Eric said. "Izzy's taking the girls out for a mommy and me day. I think they feel slightly neglected"

"Oh no" Calleigh laughed. "Well listen, its 8:30 so I better start getting ready to come help out. I'll see you soon?"

"Sure. See ya, Cal"

"Was that Eric?" Jake asked, rolling over and pulling Calleigh down for a kiss.

"Yup" she said. "I'm helping him watch Michael around 11"

"That sounds fun. I promised my mother I'd take her out for lunch anyway, so I guess we're doing our own thing today"

"I guess we are" Calleigh bent down to kiss him again. "Care to join me in the shower for a little quality time before we part ways?"

Jakes face lit up and Calleigh laughed at his excited expression. "I'd love to"

--/--

Calleigh walked into Eric's apartment, a little concerned with the shrieks that were emanating from the depths of his room.

"Eric? Is everything okay?" she asked tentatively, pushing the door open.

"Cal. Thank god you're here. He _won't stop crying_" Calleigh could hear the frustration in Eric's voice as he rocked the troubled baby back and forth.

"How long has he been crying?" Calleigh asked, crouching down so she could inspect the screaming infant.

"I don't know, ten minutes?"

"Have you changed him?"

"Yup"

"Fed? Burped"

"_Everything._"

"Okay, give him to me" Calleigh took the baby from Eric's arms gently. She rocked him back and forth soothingly and his cries dissipated in a few minutes.

"How'd you do that?!" Eric asked indignantly.

"I don't know, I don't think you're very soft and comfy like his mother, Eric" Calleigh teased, caressing his arm affectionately. "He's probably just fussy. Shouldn't he be napping right now?"

"Yeah, he should be" Eric rubbed his face exasperatedly.

"That would mean you need to turn your Kanye music off and settle him down on the couch" Calleigh laughed, turning Eric's iPod system off.

"Thank god you're here" Eric said for the second time. "Izzy really needed a day off and I just couldn't say no"

"You'll get the hang of it, no worries" Calleigh assured, sitting down on the couch with Michael cradled in her arms. She shifted him till he seemed comfortable, stroking his cheek softly till the baby's eyes closed and he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

As Eric watched this, totally unprofessional visions of Calleigh taking care of their own child flashed through his mind. He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"That's so unfair" he complained, noticing that Michael was completely asleep by now.

"What's so unfair?"

"That you're so good with him. He hates me"

"He doesn't hate you, Eric. I'm sure you're his favorite uncle" Calleigh teased, shifting the baby. "I'm going to move him to your bed, okay? He probably shouldn't be sleeping on the couch"

Eric nodded in assent and watched her carry the baby into his room. He had to swallow the urge to jump up and kiss her silly- a pink summer dress clung to her lightly, her blonde hair cascading down in soft curls. It was his favorite look on Calleigh.

A bright light caught the corner of his eye, and her iPhone chirped. He stole a glance at the screen.

_Hope you're having fun with Eric and the baby. Mommy Berkeley says hi and wishes you were here. She also keeps bugging me about making you her daughter in law. ;) See you later, sweetheart. I love you,_

_Jake_

Eric could feel his heart clench. They were _that_ serious? Were they really talking about engagement?

"You got a text message" Eric informed Calleigh when she walked back into the room.

"Oh! It must be Jake"

Eric studied her expression as she read the text message. She rolled her eyes and smiled, tossing the phone into her purse.

"So, what are we doing until baby wakes up?" Calleigh asked.

"Good question" Eric laughed, turning to face her full frontal. It never failed to take his breath away- her green eyes, her smooth skin, her sunny smile. He found it hard to breathe sometimes, especially when breathing in delivered a sensual mixture of sandalwood and vanilla. "You look very pretty today" he added in.

Calleigh's heart raced but she chided herself- these thoughts of Eric that were plaguing her mind lately weren't okay. He was her best friend, her colleague. He was charming and he had never hesitated to point out how she looked in the past. Why was she noticing it so much more now? It would never work, anyway. And what about Jake? He had been so sweet this morning, refusing to let her out of his arms. There was no denying she felt strongly for him, too.

"Thank you" she blushed, and Eric nearly melted into the couch at the adorable away her cheeks tinted. "It's just so hot outside these days" she said. "I can't bear to wear pants"

"Well I can't say I'm complaining" Eric winked.

Calleigh desperately wanted to fight these feelings, but she simply couldn't. Visions of their future, flashbacks of their compatibility--everything seemed to be plaguing her mind these days.

"Oh stop it" she rolled her eyes playfully. "Really though, what _are_ we doing?"

"I have a very impressive DVD collection" Eric suggested.

"Horror/gore movies? I'll pass, buddy"

"I actually have The Notebook, too" Eric laughed at the expression that formed on her face.

"Really? Macho Eric Delko owns The Notebook? What, did Wolfe give it to you as a joke?"

"No!" Eric protested. "I saw it in theatre with a friend and then I was inspired by it so I bought it"

"Okay…" Calleigh conceded. "But I'm not much of a sappy romance movie kinda girl. What else you got?"

"I've got all three Bourne movies"

"Much better" Calleigh said, picking up Bourne Identity. "Let's watch this"

Calleigh settled against the couch as images of Matt Damon flicked across the screen. She shivered as the air in his apartment kicked on, which Eric noticed immediately. Fighting the urge to wrap his arms around her, he offered her a throw, which she accepted with a smile and snuggled up in.

_This is so unfair_ Eric thought to himself. _Jake gets to have this every day but I have to survive off these stolen moments. I need to tell her…but engagement? Is it REALLY that serious?_ The thought made his heart sink, and he shook it from his mind. He'd cross that bridge when he came to it.

--/--

"Jake, Jake, Jake"

"Yes, mom?" he asked, amused by his mothers expression.

"You really love her, don't you?" she asked, patting his back.

"I do. But what does that have to do with me ordering a Philly Cheese steak sandwich?" Jake asked, confused.

"Nothing, son. But I love her too. She's good for you, Jake. And now that you're not doing any more of that crazy undercover stuff, you can have a relationship without worrying about what's going to happen to you" his mother said.

"You're right" Jake admitted. "I love her, a lot. She's fantastic"

"You guys have been together for about a year, right?"

"It's been a long time, ma. It's hard to put a time frame on it. I've known her since the Academy"

"I have something for you" his mother said, reaching into her bag.

"Oh no. Did Dad send me another self help book?" he rolled his eyes, abruptly stopping when he saw the small box.

"Mom…"

His mother opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring.

"It was my engagement ring. I can remember the day your father proposed like it was yesterday. I love this ring; it represents a lot to me"

"Mom" that's all Jake could say as he stared at her.

"Make her your wife, baby. Maybe not today, maybe not next week, maybe not until next month. But don't sit around and wait. We're not on this earth for very long. If you love her, if you truly want a life with her, take the leap of faith. Better to have loved and lost, right?"

"Right," Jake said, hugging his mother. "Thanks, mom. I'm definitely going to be doing some thinking about this."

"I hope so. She's a wonderful girl, Jake."

"Thanks, mom," Jake said, hugging her again.

--/--

"Welcome home," Jake greeted Calleigh as she walked in the door. "How was baby Michael?"

"Such a sweetheart," Calleigh said, tossing her purse on the chair. "How was your day with your mother?"

"It was great. She wants to go to dinner tomorrow. You up for it?"

"Sure. Why doesn't she come here, and I'll cook," Calleigh offered, sidling up to Jake and wrapping her arms around him.

"That sounds fantastic," Jake replied, turning around to kiss her properly. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Calleigh mumbled back between kisses. Jake's hands skirted down her sides and pulled her closer to him. His lips moved from her mouth to her neck, eliciting a low moan.

"Jake…" she warned, laughing when he gave her his signature lopsided grin. He leaned down to kiss her again, more innocently this time, but Calleigh could tell something was off. "Is everything okay?" she asked, breaking their kiss.

"Yeah, yeah," Jake said, evading her eyes.

"I don't believe you, Jake Berkeley," Calleigh said, searching his eyes.

"I love you, you know that, right?" Jake said, fumbling around in his pocket.

"Yes…"

Jake dropped down on one knee, and flipped a box open. Calleigh gasped, caught completely off guard.

"I know what you're thinking," Jake said. "We've only been dating steadily for a year. He's broken my heart one too many times in the past. He's going to run away again. But Calleigh, we've known each other for over a decade. I've loved you for over a decade. I know I've been horrible in the past but I'm a changed man. I quit undercover for you and I would ten times over if it meant I could be with you. I love you more than anything. Will you marry me?"

"Oh my god…Jake," Calleigh's mind was spinning at a thousand miles an hour. She dropped down to his level and kissed him thoroughly. "Of course I'll marry you" she whispered. The smile that lit up Jake's face was enough to undo her completely.

But she couldn't for the life of her decipher why Eric's face flashed through her mind the moment she said yes.


End file.
